Attempts to use in therapies a so-called preparation-on-tape wherein an antiphlogistic is made to be contained in an oily adhesive, have widely been made; for example, Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. 59-227819 (No. 227819/84) discloses that a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic is made to be contained in an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive applied on a composite composed of a non-woven cloth and a film, for an attempt to be administered to patients. Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. 60-139615 (No. 139615/85) discloses that ketoprofen contained in an adhesive composed of a polyisobutylene/paraffin/rosin-modified glycerol ester is attempted to be percutaneously absorbed into patients. Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. 63-227524 (No. 227524/88) discloses that flurbiprofen contained in an oily base is attempted to be administered to patients. Further, Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. 64-40420 (No. 40420/89) discloses that a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic with carboxyl groups in the molecule contained in an oily base is attempted to be administered. Any of the above attempts, however, did not achieve satisfactory release and percutaneous absorbability of the drug. Thus, further excellent preparations have been sought for.
It was previously disclosed in the International Pat. Appln. (Publication No. WO 93/04677) filed by the same applicant as that of this invention that a preparation-on-tape composed of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic such as ketoprofen, a rosin ester derivative and l-menthol as a solubilizer exhibited a great increase in percutaneous absorbability of the drug. Although the above preparation-on-tape so disclosed achieved initial objects such as a great increase in percutaneous absorbability and releasability of the drug, a decrease in side effects such as skin rash caused by repeated application of the tape to the skin and the expedient usability of the drug at the place of remedy, it has thereafter been found that the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic as the main drug is reacted with l-menthol used as a solubilizer to produce a l-menthol ester whereby is raised a problem particularly as to the stability and the like of the main drug.
The object of this invention is to provide a preparation for external use wherein particularly an anti-inflammatory drug maintains its stability while maintaining satisfactory releasability and percutaneous absorbability of the drug, and also to provide a patch having said preparation attached thereto.